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Film and TV streaming sites: Top 10 places to watch online

Forget the hassle of DVDs and renting films on a disc - these day’s it’s all about streaming. But which streaming sites are best for recent blockbusters, or smash hit TV shows from across the pond? Compare your main options here...

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Who the heck needs a bookcase piled with DVDs or Blu-rays when
you can watch films online at the push of a button? As long as your
broadband's up to snuff, you can stream all the movies you want and
never worry about lost discs or late fees again.

Here are the TV and film streaming sites we think are
worth checking out:

800+ films and up to 16 new ones each month. TV shows such as
Scandal, True Blood and Penny Dreadful available with Entertainment
Pass. Sky Sports Pass gives 24-hour Sky Sports access.
Incidentally, it also sells broadband now too.

Streaming sticks

Streaming sticks are handy little gadgets
that let you watch TV shows, download films, see the news, play
games, and even browse the internet right on your TV screen. They
plug into the HDMI slot on the back of your set and, by connecting
it to your Wi-Fi, you can access apps for all your favourite
streaming services - including the ones in the table above. Let's
take a look at how the major HDMI sticks compare.

NOW TV

Owned by Sky (www.Sky.com), NOW TV doesn't
have the biggest library, but it does have the most recent movies.
Sky's various exclusivity deals mean that subscribers get access to
the biggest movies months, often years, before any other
subscription-based streaming service. Plus it's a broadband provider to
boot!

The service is split into four - Entertainment, Cinema, Kids and
Sport, each with its own price tag. The Entertainment pass gives
you access to live Sky channels and on-demand TV shows.

Cinema lets you watch the latest films - often around the same
time they come out on DVD, while Entertainment gives you access to
Sky channels, including Sky Atlantic, and loads of TV box sets. The
Kids Pass lets you watch live and on-demand shows from Nickelodeon,
Boomerang, Cartoon Network and more.

You can get also Sky Sports daily and weekly passes. These lets
you watch all Sky Sports channels for the respective length of
time. It's not cheap, but if there's a big match you want to catch,
NOW TV is a way to see it without getting locked a contract.

While NOW TV's library is newer than its main rivals, the price
tag is heftier - particularly if you want everything - making NOW
TV the most expensive subscription service available right now. You
can watch it via computer, iOS and Android phones, consoles
including Xbox 360 and PS4, or the NOW TV box, which sits under
your telly.

Netflix

Netflix offers a large selection of movies, from children's
classics like Wall-E to popular flicks like The Hobbit films. It
also has a large collection of TV series, including US series like
Dexter and Modern Family, and UK shows like The Inbetweeners.

In addition, Netflix commissions exclusive shows
of its own, including the Kevin Spacey-starring House of Cards,
prison comedy Orange Is The New Black and the return of
critically-acclaimed comedy Arrested Development.

The company's gained a reputation for the quality of its
streaming technology and the breadth of platforms it's available
on, which includes iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, all
major games consoles and smart TVs - it's the widest selection of
all providers.

On the downside, most of the movies on offer are quite old, and
you're unlikely to find much from the last few years. While its TV
offering is stronger, there are some missing episodes and
incomplete series that could be frustrating for some.

Amazon Instant Video
(LOVEFiLM)

Known as LOVEFiLM Instant in a previous life, Amazon Instant
Video has a vast and immensely varied collection of films and TV
shows ready to stream online. With a monthly subscriptions you get
unlimited access, in the exact same way as with Netflix and other
such platforms.

With Amazon Instant Video there are two ways to watch your films
and TV instantly. You can either rent or buy digital copies TV
programmes and movies - from a library of more than 50,000 titles -
or with Amazon Prime Instant Video you get unlimited access paying
a set monthly amount.

It's worth noting that the Prime selection is narrower, although
there are still 15,000 films and shows, and most of what's
available is at least a few years old. If you subscribe and decide
you want to watch something more recent, you can always pay-and-go
using standard Amazon Instant Video.

TalkTalk TV Store

Coming from broadband provider TalkTalk, the
Service Formerly Known As Blinkbox lets you rent or buy individual
items on pay-as-you-go terms without a subscription. If you rent
something through TalkTalk TV, you have 30 days to start watching
it. You've then got 48 hours to enjoy it as many times as you like,
or can physically manage.

TalkTalk TV Store's library is fairly extensive, with brand new
releases sitting next to much older classics. The price you pay for
a film or TV show varies - naturally, you'll have to pay a lot more
for the latest films than the golden oldies.

Since you pay for each film or programme separately, TalkTalk TV
Store is not the best choice for people who want to watch a lot of
stuff every month. However, if you just want to dip in and out -
renting the occasional movie now and then - it's one of the best
options available to you.

PictureBox

In addition to a subscription-based service, PictureBox provides
a selection of on-demand movies for Virgin Media TV customers as well as YouView from both BT and TalkTalk.

PictureBox works differently from most other online streaming
services. Each month, a curated pick of seven recent films is
brought in to replace by what's currently on offer. This mean the
selection is limited to 60 films per month (28 on BT), but also
that it's regularly refreshed.

CinemaNow

CinemaNow, formerly known as KNOWHOW Movies, is now available on
a range of devices. The service lets you rent or buy TV shows and
movies, either to stream on the internet or download to watch
offline later.

It's not a free service and there's no subscriber option. A
rented TV show is available to watch 30 days after purchase, but as
with blinkbox, once you start watching it'll only stick around for
another 48 hours. There's a decent mix of movies and as well as
renting you can buy for keeps.

iTunes

Apple's online media outlet probably needs no introduction.
While it made its name in music for the iPod, iTunes has been
offering TV and movie downloads for years now, and has one of the
biggest libraries around.

Films and TV shows can be bought, and downloaded to be watched
indefinitely, or rented as a digital download that expires after 30
days of purchase. Once you've started watching a rental, however,
there are only 24 hours to finish it.

iTunes isn't compatible with Android devices - Google's mobile
operating system is the iPhone's main rival, you see - but you
don't have to have an Apple device either. It'll work on a Windows
PC, as well as iPhones, iPads, iMacs etc.

Google Play

If you have an Android tablet or phone the Google Play download
store is your iTunes equivalent. However, it's also available on
Mac and PC as well as portable Google-powered gadgets.

Google Play's collection of films and TV shows is smaller than
Apples, but still pretty enormous. It isn't as easy to navigate as
iTunes either, but if you've the time to dig around you'll find
plenty to watch across most of the popular genres.

It's a similar deal as you get with iTunes, whereby you have 30
days to start watching rented items - then once you've kicked it
off you have 48 hours. Alternatively, you can purchase your film or
TV show and watch it offline whenever you like.

Sky Store

Like most other movie streaming services, the Sky Store gives
you the option to either rent or buy all kinds of movies - only
this time, when you buy one to keep, Sky will send you a copy of
the DVD in the post. You've also got the option to stream them
through the Sky Store app on iOS or Android.

Because it's from Sky, you'll find some of the latest
blockbusters like the ones on Sky Cinema, and there are new ones
added every week.

If you've got Sky
TV, you'll find the Sky Store right there on your set top box.
If not, it's easy to register for the Store online.

Curzon Home Cinema

A small cinema chain based in London, Curzon tends to focus on
less high-profile independent films, rather than box office
blockbusters. The selection's quite small, but if it's indie flicks
you're looking for Curzon Home Cinema's one of your best bets.

There's a 15% discount if you're part of the Curzon membership
scheme, and once you rent a movie you have seven days to watch it.
However, there's no download option - you can only stream - so
you'll need to make sure you have a Wi-Fi connection.

MUBI

Not unlike Curzon Home Cinema, MUBI specialises in independent
cinema rather than Hollywood's mega-successes. For a small monthly
fee, it gives you access to 30 new films a month. One film is added
and one taken away every day.

It's a good one if you have alternative tastes, but certainly
isn't for everyone. One of the best things about the MUBI
experience is that, just like PictureBox, the film selection is
always changing.

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